Children's Mental Health Week

According to The Children's Society, 10% of children and young people have a clinically diagnosable mental health problem.

Yet 70% of children and adolescents suffering with mental health conditions have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age. Clearly, there is more that we can do to support children’s mental health as a society.

Child mental health in the UK & ROI

Children can come across a variety of challenges that can cause a strain on their mental health, such as bullying, social isolation or suffering a bereavement.

According to research from Laya healthcare, one in five primary school children in Ireland experience general anxiety and “low moods”. With the most common cause for their ill mental health due to being left out of friendship groups.

While in the UK, The Children’s Society have reported that 75% of all mental health problems are established by the time someone is 18.

It’s clear if we do more to spot the signs of health conditions in children, such as anxiety, ADHD and mood disorders early on in life, we can help prevent their symptoms from worsening later in life.

If you want to learn more on spotting the signs of mental health issues in children and what you can do to help, visit Action for Children.

Children’s Mental Health Week 2020

Place2Be, the UK’s leading national children's mental health charity, launched the first ever Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015. From the 3rd-9th February 2020, schools, youth groups, organisations and individuals will all take part in the event.

The aim of the wellbeing campaign is to shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health, and to raise funds towards the cause.

Find your Brave

Three children in every primary school class are suffering from mental health problems. To help encourage more young people to speak up, Place2Be have set this year’s theme as ‘Find your Brave’.

Bravery is different for every individual. For some, it can mean sharing your thoughts and feelings, for others, it can be engaging in a new experience and trying the unknown.

‘Find your Brave’ promotes the idea that being brave isn’t about keeping your feelings to yourself, instead it’s about finding ways to move forward and overcome any wellbeing challenges you may face.

How to get involved

Social media - raise awareness of the importance of supporting children and young people's mental health by spreading the word via social media. Click here to download Place2Be’s social media guide.

Fundraising - organise a fundraising event at your workplace, such as a bake off, a “dress down” day or charity cycle.

Local facilities - Reach out to local schools and youth groups and encourage them to take part in the awareness day. Place2Be have some brilliant resources aimed at a variety of age groups.

With the number of children being admitted to A&E with mental health problems raising by 330% over the past decade, it’s now more important than ever before to ensure that we all do our part in highlighting the importance of children and young people’s mental health.

If you would like to find out more information on any of the topics mentioned in this article, please contact the Health Assured 24/7 confidential helpline.